Post-match: 2024 Matchday 2: Reigning, Defending, Undisputed Columbus Crew vs MinU Canadian Dollars

ColumbusFTW · Feb 25, 2024

Columbus (1-0-0) at Minnesota (1-0-0)
Allianz Field, St Paul, MN
2pm EST | Apple+ TV | Alt 105.7 FM (iHeart)
Odds: Crew +146 | Minnesota +153 | Draw +265

It's a battle of first place teams (based on PPG, Miami can EAD) in Minneapolis' second downtown!

The Loons come in riding high as the only team to secure a win on the road in this young season, courtesy of Horse Thief FC. The postgame celly undoubtedly included champagne flutes of mediocre queso.

America's Champions enter the octagon after another successful Crewsmas, looking to win their first road game of the season for the first time since 2019. Coincidentally, that season also marked Columbus' last visit to the Land-O-Lakes, a 1-0 loss courtesy of former Columbus Crew legend/current scrub Ethan Finlay.

Intrigue awaits with the Nagbe-led Crew facing its former captain Wil Trapp and MLS Cup champion CR17 making his triumphant return to the Twin Cities. The looming presence of Columbus' mortal enemy Schedule Congestion strikes terror in the heart of at least one BigSoccer poster.

Add in the sexiest kits in the league, the addition of Not Adrian Heath as manager, and a supporters section named after a mid-90s Oasis ballad, and the odds look stacked against our Crew. Can they overcome? Maybe! (read: no) Will noted BigSoccer luminary and understated genius ColumbusFTW make a cameo on your Apple stream looking thoroughly unimpressed/mildly intoxicated? Undoubtedly.

Matchday Track:

Show Spoiler Hide Spoiler

KCbus · Feb 26, 2024

I'll go win by one. I'm not terribly impressed by Minnesota, and I'm expecting the Crew to improve on their road record this season; might as well start now.

kgilbert78 · Feb 26, 2024

Given the possibility of weather affecting the game, I'm hesitant to call for a win.

Kyle Crew · Feb 26, 2024

Minnesota is sneaky good and is our bogey team, they always play us hard. I’d be happy with a draw on the road.

Captain Invader · Feb 26, 2024

kgilbert78 said: ↑

Given the possibility of weather affecting the game, I'm hesitant to call for a win.
Click to expand...

I thought it was going to be freezing for this match, but the latest forecast has it in the 50’s at gametime on Saturday.

Which is good, because I already have my ticket. Though, last year I was 0-3-1 (W-L-D) on regular season road matches that I attended. (But 1-0 in the playoffs! at FCC).

Minnman · Feb 26, 2024

Kyle Crew said: ↑

Minnesota is sneaky good and is our bogey team, they always play us hard. I’d be happy with a draw on the road.
Click to expand...

Might they have their now head coach on the sidelines by next weekend? I hate playing teams in that situation.

Note that Minnesota just has weekend matches coming up, while we'll be playing away to HOU/STL somewhere next week Wednesday, and then again at home the following Tuesday. So, games on March 2, 6, 9, 12 and 16. Yikes. Farsi's status being up in the air really complicates matters for us during this stretch. Unless he miraculously healed overnight, I assume he's not likely to play in Minnesota this weekend. I'd gladly give him next Saturday off if he's able to play on March 6.

In any event, to say the least, Nancy's roster rotation strategy will be very interesting to watch over these next few weeks. Can't wait to get an update on Farsi, though.

the_rickler · Feb 26, 2024

Kyle Crew said: ↑

Minnesota is sneaky good and is our bogey team, they always play us hard. I’d be happy with a draw on the road.
Click to expand...

Dude, this is a “must win game”. Get outta here with that “draw” bs.

Ch(Elsey) · Feb 26, 2024

Is this poll a sanctioned Grouchy poll? Multiple votes allowed??

Love the thread, @ColumbusFTW. Please share matchday photos.

ColumbusFTW · Feb 26, 2024

Ch(Elsey) said: ↑

Is this poll a sanctioned Grouchy poll? Multiple votes allowed??

Love the thread, @ColumbusFTW. Please share matchday photos.
Click to expand...

I do not know how to do a separate poll for the bonus Grouchy. Nor how to schedule the poll to close shortly before the game. If the mods can fix it, that would be great. Otherwise, I blame chr1st for terrible succession planning.

TKyle · Feb 26, 2024

ColumbusFTW said: ↑

I do not know how to do a separate poll for the bonus Grouchy. Nor how to schedule the poll to close shortly before the game. If the mods can fix it, that would be great. Otherwise, I blame chr1st for terrible succession planning.
Click to expand...

You have to make the Grouchy bonus a separate option worth two (or more) points and people can only vote for one option. (Hence, people have to be pretty confident in the Grouchy option because they're missing out on one of the other 5 options altogether.)

I just tried, and apparently it won't let you reduce the number of options from 2 to 1 once the poll is open. So, two possibilities: a) allow people to place two votes, or 2) delete the poll and start over with a new poll.

I did put a time limit on the current poll if you want to keep it; I usually use the "hours" option instead of "days" so you can get it to expire closer to kickoff.

Edit: terrible succession planning LOL! That's happened to me in the Fantasy League thread!!

DrunkandDisorderly · Feb 26, 2024

Ch(Elsey) said: ↑

Is this poll a sanctioned Grouchy poll? Multiple votes allowed??

Love the thread, @ColumbusFTW. Please share matchday photos.
Click to expand...

Dangit, I was hoping no one would bring it up.

Ch(Elsey) · Feb 26, 2024

DrunkandDisorderly said: ↑

Dangit, I was hoping no one would bring it up.
Click to expand...

Haha! I felt I had failed an obligation for not bringing up the timing issue for the Crewsmas poll. This week, I felt I needed to point out the issue.

Sorry.

CybrSlydr · Feb 26, 2024

Kyle Crew said: ↑

Minnesota is sneaky good and is our bogey team, they always play us hard. I’d be happy with a draw on the road.
Click to expand...

I'd say Houston is also one of those boogeyman teams for us.

Kyle Crew · Feb 26, 2024

the_rickler said: ↑

Dude, this is a “must win game”. Get outta here with that “draw” bs.
Click to expand...

I’m in preseason form, forgive me.

ColumbusFTW · Feb 26, 2024

TKyle said: ↑

You have to make the Grouchy bonus a separate option worth two (or more) points and people can only vote for one option. (Hence, people have to be pretty confident in the Grouchy option because they're missing out on one of the other 5 options altogether.)

I just tried, and apparently it won't let you reduce the number of options from 2 to 1 once the poll is open. So, two possibilities: a) allow people to place two votes, or 2) delete the poll and start over with a new poll.

I did put a time limit on the current poll if you want to keep it; I usually use the "hours" option instead of "days" so you can get it to expire closer to kickoff.

Edit: terrible succession planning LOL! That's happened to me in the Fantasy League thread!!
Click to expand...

I do not see an option to edit or to change/delete the poll. Fire LaMacchia.

(If you can wave your magic mod wand to delete, I'll post a new poll.)

TKyle · Feb 26, 2024

Done. Poll is gone.

If you're having problems posting a new one, let me know (it may be later this eve until I get to it).

Kryptonite · Feb 26, 2024

ColumbusFTW said: ↑

America's Champions enter the octagon after another successful Crewsmas, looking to win their first road game of the season for the first time since 2019. Coincidentally, that season also marked Columbus' last visit to the Land-O-Lakes, a 1-0 loss courtesy of former Columbus Crew legend/current scrub Ethan Finlay.
Click to expand...

OSU basketball won on Sunday at MSU. It was their first true road win in over a year.

When the Crew wins at another "M" team, is that a trend?

hardhead · Feb 26, 2024

I was thinking we could have gone with this logic: if a poster votes for something that is wrong, they get zero points. But, if they get the score and the prop they get three. So people could choose to vote for just one thing to be conservative or two votes to be super risky. Fun, right?

Robbo Crewfan · Feb 26, 2024

win by 1 on the road

TRUJDUB21 · Feb 26, 2024

I see a draw but I’m hoping for more.We ended up 12th (4way tie) of 29 teams on the road last year and then won 2/3 on the road in the playoffs. So basically we were average on the road. But we definitely were bad to start and then we just keep getting better. We can build on that and we better if we want to be in the SS race. Only 4 clubs had a winning record on the road. That’s something I would like to see us accomplish. We need to win at least 7 road games this season

Kryptonite · Feb 26, 2024

Bonus option:

One player on either team has a Gordie Howe Soccer Hat Trick (goal, assist, direct red card) (worth 2 points.) Four points if BOTH teams have a GHSHT.

...or is the bar too high?

TyphonInc · Feb 26, 2024

I'll go draw.

TKyle · Feb 26, 2024

Old poll was deleted.

New poll is up. Go vote!

Bonus Grouchy is per @ColumbusFTW's original prop.

TKyle · Feb 26, 2024

hardhead said: ↑

I was thinking we could have gone with this logic: if a poster votes for something that is wrong, they get zero points. But, if they get the score and the prop they get three. So people could choose to vote for just one thing to be conservative or two votes to be super risky. Fun, right?
Click to expand...

That's a cool idea. Only thing is--people would have to vote for the outcome alone, or the outcome and the prop, right? So would there people who vote for two outcomes instead of the outcome and the prop? If someone picks win by two and win by one, they're increasing their odds of being right from 20% to 40%. I don't think the poll can be set up for the former and not the latter. We could try it out next week? It might be more work for @chr1st to do the tallies.

TKyle · Feb 26, 2024

Kryptonite said: ↑

Bonus option:

One player on either team has a Gordie Howe Soccer Hat Trick (goal, assist, direct red card) (worth 2 points.) Four points if BOTH teams have a GHSHT.

...or is the bar too high?
Click to expand...

Kinda. The prop I put in was the one ColumbusFTW wanted.

Never heard of a Gordie Howe Hat Trick. [Checks Wikipedia] A goal, an assist, and a fight. So, maybe a player gets a goal, an assist, and a yellow card? Howe played most of his career with the Red Wings, so--maybe a prop bet when we play Toronto??